HTC announced the Vive Standalone at ChinaJoy 2017 earlier today and will be the first Vive headset to be completely free of any external PC or mobile device in order to use it. The headset will be powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 mobile VR platform and will utilise Viveport to deliver content.

Unfortunately this is pretty much all we know about the device right now, other than the fact that it’s currently limited to the Chinese market. There are currently no plans for a wider release, however that’s likely to change in future, we hope.

The Vive Standalone will be able to offer a much more affordable VR experience without the need to purchase a high-end PC, or PS4, or own a decent smartphone in order to use it, and this alone will have huge appeal to those wanting to enter the VR market. This release will also broaden the accessibility of VR too, which isn’t always a bad thing.

Developers interested in taking part in the Vive Standalone associated support programs can find out more information on the device’s website.